John 13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
As this chapter starts, the time is just prior to the Passover Feast. Jesus knew the time was at hand for Him to return to the Father. He had come to love His friends, family and companions in this world—and that would not change.
Note again that this supper is before the feast of Passover.
John 18:28 “Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.”
John 19:14 “And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!”
According to Josephus, the priests began slaying the paschal lambs at the temple at 3:00pm—the same time that Jesus, our Passover lamb, died on the cross. I have read many commentaries regarding whether the last supper was a Passover meal and regarding Jesus being in the tomb three days and three nights. I am not a scholar, but I do believe the Spirit is consistent in presenting the types of Christ in scripture. Christ was definitely our Passover lamb…
1 Corinthians 5:7–8 “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
…therefore, I believe He was crucified on the day of preparation for the Passover meal that would be held that evening (the Jews reckon a day from evening to evening). Beyond that I am not willing to argue. I also know that God doesn’t contradict Himself, so I’m not worried about what looks like contradiction to me right now. He will make everything clear by and by. (See note at Luke 22:7-8 for further explanation.)
“unto the end” - The NIV uses the term “full extent,” and I think that’s appropriate because giving one’s life out of love to save another is as full a love as there is. Another word suggested by the Greek was “to the utmost.” The KJV use of “to the end” refers more to the human perspective in my opinion. I know He was eager to return to the Father, but that doesn’t mean He was eager to leave those He loved. I can relate to that. I’m eager for the LORD's return. I can’t wait to never have to deal with my sin nature again, or worry about my motives, to know that my heart is pure, to participate in the true worship in heaven in His presence, to see His love for me reflected in His eyes when He looks at me----BUT neither do I want to leave my loved ones and lose fellowship with them. Ideally, I want us all to go to heaven together in the rapture.
John 13:2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;
“the supper being ended” – This seems to indicate that the presentation of the wine and bread as representative of His blood and body was done prior to this. Matthew 26:26 states that this was done while they were eating.
Matthew 26:26 “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.”
The disciples were together with the LORD at their evening meal. The point is made that the devil had already “put into the heart of Judas” to betray Jesus. Luke tells us that Satan entered Judas prior to his meeting with the chief priests and captains to plan the betrayal.
Luke 22:3-4 “Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them. (Matthew 26:15 tells us that Judas made a deal with them to deliver Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.)
The sad thing is that the devil couldn’t have prompted Judas without him being willing vessel. How anyone could spend all that close time of teaching and opportunity for fellowship with the LORD and not have his heart impacted by the love of Jesus is beyond understanding. Another sad comment is that Judas is identified as “Simon’s son.” That jumped out to me as a parent. Judas must have had an example along the way to become the self-centered, thieving, hard-hearted man that he was. Maybe it was his father, maybe not. I know that children choose to go off and do things in spite of their parents. My own son has done that at one point--and somehow you still feel responsible. I think the difference for Christian parents who are doing their best before the LORD is that their children will eventually return to their roots if they have been trained from a biblical foundation (Proverbs 22:6), but some take a lot longer than others (e.g. Hezekiah’s son Manasseh, 2Chronicles 33).
Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
John 13:3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
John 13:4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
John 13:5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
Jesus was fully aware of His position of power and authority and divine standing in the Father and that He was returning to be with God the Father. He didn’t need to be affirmed; He was secure in that knowledge. In a surprising move, Jesus got up, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. Then He filled a pan with water and began to wash the feet of the disciples and dry their feet with the towel around His waist—the work of a slave.
John 13:6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
Eventually He came to Simon Peter (who evidently had been watching and thinking). Peter, brilliant man that he was, says, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
John 13:7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
Jesus understood that his question was really, “Why are you going to wash my feet?” He answers Peter by telling him that he will understand this more a bit later. We cannot expect to understand everything the LORD causes or allows to affect our life as it happens.
John 13:8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
John 13:9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
This answer didn’t satisfy Peter, so he said, “No, you will never wash my feet.” Jesus knew the answer that would make Peter compliant because He knew Peter’s heart (just as He knows each one of ours). He said, “OK Peter, if I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.” (He knew Peter loved Him.) Peter does a complete reversal. He basically said—If that is the case, don’t just wash my feet; wash my hands and my head too. No way did he want to be separated from the Savior. His logic told him that if allowing Jesus to wash his feet would keep him close to the Savior, that having Him wash his hands and head too would provide a stronger connection.
John 13:10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
John 13:11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
Then Jesus explained that a person who has had a bath only needs to wash his feet (the part that is dirty). The rest of his body is clean. Then He told him that he was clean, but that was not true of everyone there. At this point, He indicated that He was talking on a spiritual level, because the next verse clarifies that this was a reference to the one that was going to betray Him. He was obviously not talking about physical dirt, but an attitude of the heart.
Another application that comes to my mind is in reference to confessing and repenting of our sins as believers. We have had a bath (been washed in His blood) through faith, but we still get our feet dirty by allowing sin into our life. Because of that, we need to confess and repent of that sin—wash the part that is dirty.
Note from JVMcGee: “How does Christ wash us today?”
Psalm 119:9 “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.”
Ephesians 5:25-26 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word….”
1John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
John 13:12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
John 13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
John 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
John 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Jesus finished washing their feet, then put on His clothes and went back to His seat. He asked them if they understood what He had done for them. He continued by restating the position they had given Him as their “Master (teacher) and Lord (in authority over them).” He also emphasized that to be a valid statement of His relationship to them. Then He told them that He had washed their feet as an example of how they were to treat one another. Our heart should be to serve one another in love, not to compete with one another for positions of recognition and authority.
This calls to my mind the importance of our examples as parents before our children and grandchildren. We should be comfortable to say to them, “Do as I have done; follow my example.” That is a very sobering and convicting truth to this mom.
John 13:16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
Again, an emphasis on the truth of what He is about to say—“verily, verily.” “The servant is not greater than his lord.” (The disciples are the servants; He is their lord/master.) “Neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.” (They are the ambassadors or messengers; He is the one who sends them.) If the master is willing to position himself as a servant to emphasize the truth and importance of his message, they should be willing to do likewise.
John 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
This verse provides motivation for obedience—“happy are ye if ye do them.” It immediately jumps to my mind that it implies the inverse—you will not be happy if you disobey. Knowledge always brings greater responsibility……and the potential for greater blessing—or affliction.
John 13:18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
Now Jesus told them more of what was about to happen. First, He clarified that this would be a fulfillment of scripture. It was foretold in Psalm 41:9 that He would be betrayed by a friend. Jesus wanted them to keep that in mind throughout these next hours.
Psalm 41:9 “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”
Many times when I read the scriptures that seem to be referenced, I have a hard time understanding how they could have recognized that those words were referring to the Messiah. Maybe the fact that it was referring to Messiah was just being revealed by Jesus.
Jesus was well aware of those that were His true disciples and the one that would betray Him.
John 13:19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.
John 13:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
Jesus goes on to explain that He is telling them what will happen ahead of time, so that when it all goes down, it will strengthen their belief in Him.
Isaiah 42:9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure….”
Like Father—Like Son.
Then He gave them another truth to grasp as His messengers—anyone who accepts anyone sent by Him, the Christ, also accepts Christ. Inversely, anyone who accepts Christ will accept those sent by Him. This is the very same statement He made regarding acceptance of the Son being the same as acceptance of the Father and vice versa (8:42).
I think it is important to note that the truth is that a true believer will rightly represent the Savior to the best of his or her ability. The gospel they share will be the gospel that leads to salvation. It is in that regard that accepting the believer is the same as accepting Christ as Savior.
John 13:21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
John 13:22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
Next we are told that Jesus became troubled in spirit and stated again that one of them was going to betray Him. (I think that may have been when Satan made his presence known; because a few minutes later, when Jesus dipped His bread and handed it to Judas, Satan entered Judas—he became possessed by Satan.) After He made that statement, the disciples stared at each other trying to determine whom He meant.
John 13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
John 13:24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
John 13:25 He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
“one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved” – I think this refers to John. He was reclining next to Jesus, and Peter motioned him to ask Jesus who He meant. So he leaned back against Jesus and asked Him who it was.
John 13:26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
John 13:27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
Then Jesus told him that it was the one to whom He gave the bread He was going to dip in the dish. When He dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, and (as stated above) Satan took possession of him. (Another thing to remember is that Satan cannot “enter” God’s children—believers. Amazing though it is after so much time with the LORD—Judas was an unbeliever.) Then Jesus spoke to him and said, “Do what you are going to do quickly.”
John 13:28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.
John 13:29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.
John 13:30 He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.
The other disciples didn’t understand what Jesus meant as He spoke to Judas. Since he was the treasurer, they assumed He was telling him to buy what was needed for the feast or to give to the poor. Judas left. “And it was night.”
John 3:19 “…men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
I think it is interesting that the point was made that it was night. It was dark in more ways than one and would seem to get darker still as time passed. They were about to lose the light of the Savior’s presence. I also think Jesus was getting impatient to be done with it all. Although dreading the pain and suffering to come, I think He was eager to get home to the Father. I also think He was eager to take that next step necessary to finally overcoming Satan once and for all.
“against the feast” – This indicates that the Last Supper was before the Passover feast, which is exactly what verse 1 of this chapter said. This made me remember hearing Chuck Smith give an explanation that explained the three days and three nights that Jesus was in the tomb.
Matthew 12:40 “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
We also know that Jesus was crucified on Preparation Day
John 19:31 “The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.”
The Passover lamb was slaughtered between 3-5pm on Preparation Day (per Josephus).
Jesus died at the 9th hour—3pm.
Christ was our Passover lamb.
1Corinthians 5:7 “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us….”
We also know that Jesus rose again the third day.
Matthew 17:23 “And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.”
Mark 9:31 “For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.”
We also know that the Jews counted time from “evening to morning” as shown in Genesis.
Genesis 1:5 “And the evening and the morning were the first day.”
Genesis 1:8 “And the evening and the morning were the second day.”
Genesis 1:13 “And the evening and the morning were the third day.”
And so on
We also know that the empty tomb was discovered early in the morning as it began to dawn on the first day of the week—Sunday.
Matthew 28:1–6 “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it…. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”
I’ve read many different arguments for the crucifixion being on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday; and I have concluded that it was probably Thursday.
Thursday evening—Friday evening = Day 1 (Passover)
Friday evening—Saturday evening = Day 2 (Unleavened Bread, a special sabbath)
Saturday Evening—Sunday morning = Day 3 (Firstfruits)
Leviticus 23:5–6 & 10-11 “In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’S passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD….then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.”
John 13:31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
John 13:32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.
After Judas left, Jesus declared that “now” the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in Him. This being true, God will glorify the Son in Himself and will do it soon.
This sounds a bit like double talk. As I am trying to think it through, I think the term “now” (vs. 31) refers to that particular moment as well as the present in general. Jesus (the Son of Man) is going to be glorified through His death, burial and resurrection. He will defeat Satan, and this will all bring glory to the Father. Part of the truth connected with this is that in the future God will glorify the Son as the victorious King in all His glory (in Himself) as God in Heaven and earth all at once. Simplistic maybe, but that’s how I see it.
John 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Jesus continued; He told them that He would only be with them a little while longer. He again gave them fair warning that they could not go with Him. The command He gave them was to love one another, just as He has loved them. (Remember the foot washing; follow His example.) When the people of the world see how they love one another, they will recognize them as His disciples.
How is this a new commandment? By referencing the verses in Mark where Jesus discussed this subject, we can make a comparison.
Mark 12:29-31 “And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”
This new commandment states that we are to love one another “as I have loved you.” Jesus’ love for each and every one of us is far greater that even the love we have for self. Argument could be made that to love the LORD God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength should cause us to love others with the same kind of unselfish, sacrificial love as He loves us. By wording this commandment as a love that is based on His example, Jesus left no doubt as to His meaning.
John 13:36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.
John 13:37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.
Simon Peter asked Jesus where He was going. Jesus again told him that he couldn’t go with Him now, but he would get to come to Him later. It is interesting to me that the LORD didn’t answer where, and Peter didn’t press for the specifics. Instead, the LORD was answering the question in his heart of why he couldn’t go with his LORD—wherever He was going. Peter, without missing a beat, asked why he couldn’t go with Him now. He would lay down his life for Jesus. Both Matthew (26:35) and Mark (14:31) tell us that all of the disciples declared they would follow Jesus to the death.
John 13:38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
So Jesus basically told him—You really think you would lay down your life for me? I guarantee you will deny Me three times before the rooster crows. (The gospel of Mark states “before the cock crows twice.”)
Mark 14:30 “And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.”
When I read through the scriptures and find discrepancies in the presentation of one writer vs. another, I don’t get too excited. I know that the Word of God is true and without contradiction. One day we will have the knowledge to make every piece fit perfectly. When you read through the other gospel accounts of this event, you can come up with possibly more than three denials. The significant point is that the LORD knew that Peter would be tested and would fail.
I think this account was inspired to warn us. No matter how much we think we love the LORD, we are vulnerable to the attack of the enemy. It also serves to comfort us in that we can all relate to Peter. He thinks he is willing to give his life to protect Jesus, but he is going to be shown his true heart. When the going gets tough, he will deny he even knows Jesus—not once, but at least three times. I often find myself wondering about my own willingness to suffer for the LORD. My prayer is that I would be strong and steadfast through the enablement of the Spirit. Peter didn’t have the Spirit indwelling him at this time.
Luke gives us another beautiful bit of information. Before telling Peter that he would deny Him, Jesus told Peter that He had prayed for him. What did He pray? That Peter’s faith would not fail—and we know that Jesus’ prayer was answered. Peter may have stumbled badly—but he did not fall, he did not lose his faith. The LORD also strengthened Peter with a promise by saying, “when thou art converted” (returned to a position of strong faith), he should draw from that experience to strengthen his brethren. That is one of the LORD’s intended purposes for any trial He allows in our lives—for our faith to be strengthened so that we in turn can strengthen others through what we have learned by experience.
Luke 22:31-32 “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”
2 Corinthians 1:3–4 “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
John 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Jesus continued to give comfort and encouragement to His disciples. He told them not to worry or be sad; hold on to your trust in God—and in Me in the same way, as One and the same in power and authority. In His Father’s house there are lots of mansions (dwelling places). He emphasized that He would never tell them a lie or withhold truth from them. He next told them where He was going and why—to prepare a place for each one of them in His Father’s house. (I like the thought that there is a special place or spot in eternity just for me.) Jesus basically said that He wouldn’t prepare a place without reason. He will come again and take them to dwell with Him in His presence. Then He reminded them that they already knew where He was going and how to get there.
In my study of prophecy, focus is keen on the phrase “I will come again and receive you unto myself.” This doesn’t sound like He is referencing physical death—“absent from the body, present with the Lord.” (2Corinthians 5:8) Nor does it match the description of His second coming in view of everyone surrounded by the armies of heaven. He is speaking of coming to take His followers home to live in the presence of His Father.
This sounds like a statement that is meant to comfort the disciples—something to which they could look forward. Jesus was coming back for them to take them to His Father’s house (just as the Jewish husband did with his bride).
The thought presented in these verses seem to correlate directly with Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians.
1Thessalonians 4:16-17 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
John 14:5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
Thomas still doesn’t get it. Was he half asleep? Jesus had already told them several times that God is His Father and that He is going home to His Father’s house. Thomas basically said, “We don’t know where you are going, so how can we possibly know the way? Maybe, in Thomas’s defense, he did understand and was just saying that they didn’t know where the Father’s house was, so how could they know how to get there.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Jesus basically told him that he didn’t need directions because He (Jesus) is the way, the truth and the life. The only way to get to the Father is to go through Jesus. He said, “If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.” After all the time they had spent together, they still could not grasp that this man Jesus is God. I don’t blame them. I accept the truth by faith—but I don’t really understand it. So Jesus told them basically to think of it like this; from now on, realize that you do know the Father and have seen Him—“in Me” is implied.
I think it is important to note that Jesus boldly declared that faith in Him was the ONLY way to get to the presence of God in heaven. He wasn’t concerned with political correctness or offending someone. His concern was declaring the truth!
Note from somewhere: The WAY for going
The TRUTH for knowing
The LIFE for growing
John 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Now Philip pipes in. He asked Jesus to show them the Father, and they would be content.
John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
John 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
John 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
Jesus is so patient in His explanations. I can almost hear the tone He is using as He answers him. He basically said, “Don’t you know me yet after all this time?” Again He explained that to see Him is to see the Father. Jesus asked Philip, “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in Me?” He is trying to make them understand that He and the Father are so a part of each other that they are one (which is hard for our human mind to grasp—especially when looking at flesh and blood claiming to be one with the Sovereign Father God in heaven.) They are so much one that even Jesus’ words are the Father’s words. He implores them to let the evidence of the miracles confirm Him. These miracles were the work of the Father through Jesus. Jesus does not act independently of the Father.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Then Jesus told them that anyone who has faith in Him will do what He has been doing—and even greater things—because He is going to the Father and will do whatever is asked in His name in order to bring glory to the Father. He then repeated that truth for emphasis—“If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.”
These verses, and others similar to them, have really caused me to think a lot throughout my life. It is obviously not as simple as it sounds—yet it is simple by definition. You first have to remember the context. He will answer requests in order to bring glory to the Father. That is the huge qualifier for “anything.” To learn to make our requests with no selfish motives and with only desiring the will of the Father in our hearts is a very large obstacle for most of us. I finally learned in my life that even when I am specific when I pray on behalf of my loved ones or myself, I quickly qualify the request with, “whatever will be best for the individual or situation to bring glory to You in the process.” I know that God knows the best action or inaction needed to help me or my loved one grow stronger in our walk with Him and glorify Him in the process.
I also thought about the phrase “and greater works than these.” How could anything we do be greater than Jesus performing a miracle Himself. I think it would be the fact that it was being performed through a person through the faith of that person regarding Jesus’ ability and willingness to keep His promise. I would love to be that kind of vessel, but I am too unsure of my ability to know what is best in God’s eyes (His perfect will) to presume to call for God’s immediate response of healing or provision based on my request. I am sure that if the LORD ever wants to work a miracle through me, He will provide the necessary faith and boldness at that time.
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
This verse seems to be an easily understood statement, but I don’t think it is so cut and dried. I don’t think it infers that we will never do wrong. The word keep in the Greek means “to guard, watch over, preserve, and observe.” It is speaking of a person who is striving to do the best he can to obey the teachings of the Savior.
As a parent, I treasure the love of my children—but they have not always obeyed me. There have even been times I thought they didn’t love me, but it never changed my love for them or kept me from giving them rules or commands to protect them. Much to my despair when I review the past, I have compromised what I knew to be the best choices along the way on their behalf. Although justifying the compromises at the time (e.g., movies allowed, places gone, clothes worn, etc.), I wish now that the compromise had never been made. God is a much better “Father.” He has given us clear guidelines and commands that are unchanging. When we mess up, He is there to correct us; but He lets us experience the consequences. He wants us to learn, to become mature and wise in our choices. We know when we are showing our love to Him because the commands in His word are clear and unchanging.
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Jesus knows our shortcomings. So He promised to ask the Father to give us a helper, a counselor, a Comforter to be with us—the Spirit of Truth. It is interesting that the LORD chose this name to identify the Holy Spirit. As I think about it, I realize that He has been my safety net when my overactive sense of logic or reasoning leaves me hanging in areas I don’t have the ability to fathom or follow through to a conclusion that is acceptable in my mind. I think my mind is where Satan attacks me most. Even when we can’t follow the reasoning, the Spirit always gives us the truth—the bottom line—to hang on to. Those who do not know Him (recognize Him through their relationship to Jesus) don’t accept Him as real because He is invisible. Jesus promised that they (His disciples) would know Him because He dwelled with them and would be in them. Notice that the phrasing uses present and future tense. The Spirit was already with them, but would be in them.
The Spirit didn’t indwell the disciples until after the resurrection of Jesus.
John 20:22 “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost….”
Believers were infused with power by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Luke 24:49 “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Acts 2:1-4 “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Important – The gift of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, is only for those who have faith in Jesus. The world of unbelievers cannot receive Him.
John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
John 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
John 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Jesus continued to comfort His disciples. I think He was referencing the fact that He would appear to them after His resurrection to help solidify the foundation of their faith and their hope for the future. I also think He was referencing the fact that He would continue to be present with them through the Holy Spirit. Verse 19 is referencing the fact that when He goes home to be with the Father, He will no longer be bodily visible to mankind. They would get to see Him after His death and KNOW that He lives. Because He lives, they can be confident that they will live eternally with Him also.
In verse 20 Jesus told the disciples that on the day that they see Him, all the pieces of the puzzle will fit; they will see concrete proof that everything He has told them is truth. They will see Him alive after His resurrection, and they will see Him ascend into heaven. They will know with confidence that He is God’s Son and that His words to them are true. They will live for eternity with Christ as part of His family.
I liked a reference McGee made regarding the Greek for the word “comfortless”; it is the word orphanos, or orphans. The LORD is eager to have us as a part of His family and never intended us to feel like we had an absentee Father. The Father will always be with us in the person of the Holy Spirit.
John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Jesus again reiterated that those who know His commands and obey them are those who really love Him. This is obedience motivated by love—not working to earn love. Inferred is that those who know His will and ignore it are not His. This doesn’t mean we will never do anything wrong. It means that the believer will not practice as a way of life that which He knows to be against God’s will. If we truly love Him, we will want to please Him and be so sorry when we disobey Him.
Those who love the Son will be loved by the Father. This is a statement of fact. It’s a natural parental response. Again, He emphasized that He (the Son) will also love those who love Him. (By the way, the Greek for all the uses of the word love in this verse is agapao—a choice to love unconditionally.)
“And will manifest myself to Him” – At this point, I think He is explaining that the believer will recognize His presence, the presence of God, working through the Holy Spirit in His life even though He (Jesus) is not physically visible.
John 14:22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
Next, Judas, not the one who betrayed Jesus, asked Him how He was going to show Himself to them (His disciples) without showing Himself to the world.
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
John 14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
Jesus explained yet again that there is a plan in place. Those who love Him will obey Him, and the Father will love them. Then we (Father and Son) will come to him and make our home with him. I think this references the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Again, this is beyond my understanding—three in one, yet separate—each with a different ministry in our lives, yet all one God. Those who don’t love Him will not obey Him. Then He reminded them that all He is telling them is from the Father who sent Him (Almighty God). Again, our actions prove our relationship. Our love as evidenced by obedience through the Spirit answers how He will manifest Himself—through empowerment that produces visible evidence of His presence in our lives.
I can’t help but wonder what the disciples understood about the ministry of the Holy Spirit at that time. The nation was emerging from a 400-year drought of interaction with God. He had quit speaking through prophets since the time of Malachi until John the Baptist emerged on the scene.
John 14:25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Jesus is telling them the truth while He is present with them. When He is gone, the Father is going to send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to teach them and remind them of all that Jesus had taught them. Not only is the Spirit the voice of truth in our lives, He is our Comforter—the ultimate supply source of all that we need. He is also the ultimate teacher, but a teacher can only provide insight to the student that is ready and willing to learn.
The same Holy Spirit inspired every author of scripture. His message is one of truth and unity, though penned by many different writers. They may present specific pieces of the message or declare the truth from different perspectives for different reasons, but the message is unified and not contradictory. It is the message of truth.
Wiersbe: “People in the world walk by sight and depend on the externals, but Christians walk by faith and depend on the eternals.”
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
Jesus promised the disciples that He would give them His peace to accompany their faith. “I give unto you not as the world giveth.” They can count on what He says; His word is sure; He is not going to take it back or not keep His promise.
Psalms 119:89 “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”
Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”
Jesus urged the disciples not to worry or be afraid as the future unfolds. They were to remember that He had already told them that He was going away, but He would also return. In fact, they should be glad that He was going to His Father because the Father is greater than He. It is through the power of the Father that He will be able to deliver on all of His promises to them.
In my head, I think Jesus is referring to His status as a man, a human being. Although divine, He chose to give up for a time all the rights and privileges associated with His position as God to be able to qualify as the perfect sacrifice for man. I don’t see how He could qualify as that sacrifice if He couldn’t face the temptations faced by man as a man. The key is that He came by choice and He did conquer sin!
Because Jesus was sinless, He was indwelt by the Holy Spirit, as are we believers, and, I believe, as Adam was at creation. In that sense, He did have supernatural help, the same Help that was available to Adam and the believer today. When Adam sinned, he died spiritually; he lost his spiritual connection to God through the Holy Spirit. The writer of Hebrews makes it clear that Jesus came as a man.
Hebrews 2:6-7 & 9 “But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands….But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”
Hebrews 2:16-18 “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.”
“my Father is greater than I” – I believe this is a direct reference to Jesus the man. I found another quote from D. A. Carson that expresses this thought far better than I: “The comparison is only meaningful if they are already on the same plan and there’s some delimitation going on. Jesus is in the limitations of the Incarnation—he’s going to the cross; he’s going to die—but he’s about to return to the Father and to the glory he had with the Father before the world began.”
John 14:29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.
John 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
John 14:31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
Jesus again reminded the disciples that He is telling them the plan beforehand, so that when it comes to pass, they will believe. He basically told that time was short since the “prince of this world” is coming, but he (Satan) had absolutely no power over Jesus. (And because we are “in Christ,” he has no power and authority over us either.)
In order to show the world that He loves His Father, Jesus is acting in obedience to the command of the Father. He then told them it was time to get going.
“the prince of this world cometh” – As I read this again, I immediately connected with the thought that he was coming in the person of Judas Iscariot. In my study of prophecy, I have learned that only two people are identified as the “son of perdition”—Judas Iscariot and Antichrist. I believe that these are the two people that Satan has deemed so important in his fight against Jesus that he chose and will choose to personally indwell them.